Nintendo Wii U Delivers First Free-To-Play Game This Week With TANK! TANK! TANK!

Free-to-play titles have been gaining in popularity recently thanks in part to mobile gaming. $.99 games seem to be too rich for anyone’s blood, especially when they spent hundreds of dollars on their smartphone or tablet, which means free-to-play games are the way to go these days. The Wii U will receive its first free-to-play title this week, marking the first next-generation console to offer such an experience.

Namco’s TANK! TANK! TANK! was a launch title for the Wii U that originally retailed for $49.99, but starting this week, the game will go completely free-to-play once Nintendo’s eShop update goes into affect in Europe.

Three game modes will be downloadable from the eShop and will allow for players to partake in the fun for free three times a day. Until February 28th, those interested in accessing additional game modes and removing the play-per-day restriction can pay £1.59 (€1.99), although after the 28th, the price will increase to £7.99 (€9.99).

TANK! TANK! TANK!’s free-to-play method was already available in Japan, and seeing it progress to Europe may be an indication it’s expected to also be made available on the U.S. Wii U eShop channel some time in the future.